FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Putin Identifies Changes with U.S., Both Security Councils Will Have Ongoing Dialogue

July 17, 2018 (EIRNS)—Russian President Vladimir Putin, interviewed on Fox News by Chris Wallace, identified some changes in the U.S.-Russian relationship. Counterterrorism coordination is the most important thing which will be improved, he said. And regarding peace in Korea, Putin reiterated his assessment that President Trump had already improved the situation a great deal: “This will now need to go forward with international guarantees, and Russia is ready to provide them to whatever extent necessary.”

Meantime, the White House is already moving on one of three proposed areas of cooperation that came out of yesterday’s summit, which is for the two nations’ Security Councils to engage in a working-level cooperation. When TASS asked for a comment on President Trump’s statements on relations between the Russian and U.S. Security Councils, NSC spokesperson Garrett Marquis replied: “This has been previously discussed. We expect there will be ongoing working-level dialogue between the two security council staffs on national security issues.”

TASS cites U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton’s late-June visit to Moscow and his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials, at which they discussed a wide range of issues, including regional problems focusing on Syria.

Citing unnamed official U.S. sources, TASS writes that Bolton “de facto” leads the Trump administration’s policies toward Russia, while U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo deals North Korean denuclearization.